Y-9DZ Electronic Warfare Aircraft:
Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) recently intercepted PLA’s Y-9DZ electronic-warfare aircraft over the Pacific Ocean.
Y-9DZ Electronic Warfare Aircraft:
- The Y-9DZ is China’s newly developed electronic warfare version of the Y-9 aircraft.
- It is a medium-range, medium-sized tactical transport aircraft manufactured by the Shaanxi Aircraft Company.
- The Y-9DZ was initially spotted in 2017, and China officially unveiled this aircraft in 2019, along with another electronic warfare variant known as the Y-9G.
- The Y-9DZ variant is the most advanced intelligence-gathering aircraft developed by China.
- This aircraft is capable of flying various special missions, including electronic intelligence, communication jamming, psychological operations missions and even surveillance missions during search and rescue operations.
- It features state-of-the-art sensors and communication systems.
- The Y-9DZ boasts two large rectangular-shaped ESM/ELINT (Electronic Support Measures and Electronic Intelligence) antennas on each side of the rear fuselage and a range of other antennas strategically placed throughout the aircraft.
- An oval dish-shaped ESM antenna is positioned atop the vertical fin, while a SATCOM antenna sits on the mid-fuselage.
- Presence of pipe-shaped antennas on the fuselage side suggests their purpose may be related to psychological operations
